encouragement

Dear November 2018,

What a great month!

You were a month filled with gratefulness, thankfulness, and the reminder of kindness. November, we filled you up with great moments and treasured times… Mainly Kensie’s first cross-country adventure and our hubby/wife trip to Washington D.C. DC was beyond words – FABULOUS! We also celebrated daddy’s birthday, Thanksgiving, our first girl-only STAYcation slumber party and Christmas came early this year with decorating the house and setting up the tree.

November you were good to us, but we are so excited for Christmas and the holiday month of December! Bring on Jesus’ BIRTHDAY!!!

:: Our Month in 9 Squares – November 2018 ::

Girlie number 3 is six weeks new and I am living on caffeine and snuggles! Since we are in the newborn survival stage I thought it would be fun to share a few items that have kept ‘us’ going – items that both Kensie and I love. They are mostly nursing and sleep related because let’s face it, up until now that is all newbies do in the beginning. And if you recall from my previous posts, since we didn’t know her gender prior to birth, practically every item listed below has been 2-day shipped to my home via Amazon Prime. Lifesaver!

To give you a little back story, I have really struggled with nursing all three of my girls, and to say the first few weeks of nursing has been rough would be an understatement. Between the pain, engorgement, plugged ducts/mastitis, latching and what seems to be a never ending cycle of feeds… it is and has been an exhausting journey, again! But, I am hanging in there and the nursing/feeding items below are probably why. Don’t be afraid to admit it is hard, because it is… use whatever aids you need to get through! Not all nursing journeys are easy, so do your best to not doubt your body or be too hard on yourself. And yes, I need to be better at taking my own advice. Which is why I am sharing my ‘breast friends’ below!

Newborn Necessities

Dear January 2018,

January welcomed me into the third trimester for baby number three… Ahhh, how can this be?! It doesn’t seem possible! The new year is here and the new baby will be with us soon!
Travis and I were able to enjoy a relaxing BabyMoon at just the right time. We are so grateful for our time away and the fun we were able to share… Just the two of us! After our relaxing getaway, we made it home just in time to each partake in this season of sickness, oh joy! I am ready for some complete healing and looking onward and upward to a healthy, family-fun-filled February.

:: Our Month in 9 Squares – January 2018 ::

Dear November,

You were a month of traveling and holiday fun! Between Thanksgiving celebrations, my husband’s birthday and my annual best friend trip it was an adventure-filled month…. Just the way I like it! I was able to jet set away to San Francisco for a kid-free girls weekend full of yummy food, beautiful sites, much cooler weather and lots of shopping. It was dreamy and exactly what this pregnant mama needed! I am now in my second trimester so hopefully this morning sickness will fully go away soon, counting on it December! But, what I loved most about this month was the excitement it brought for the holiday season ahead. It was a month of gratitude and family time and a special first… Our oldest learned how to ride a bike! This is a big deal in the parenting world of firsts!

As the hustle and bustle of December begins, I pray that I can stay grounded in the true meaning of Christmas – Jesus is the reason for the season, and continue to demonstrate for my girls what giving and showing love is all about. Blessings to you this Christmas, remember to pause and cherish each moment.

Dear October,

You were a month of special news! We excitedly announced that we are growing from a family of four to a family of five. It was a month filled with kindness, love and sweet comments that made our month! October has also been a month of fun holiday functions and preparation for the thankful season ahead in November.

As our AZ weather FINALLY cools down we are so grateful for the family fun ahead and our growing baby bump.

When you become a mom, you hear so often that you need to enjoy every minute because time flies by… overused advice, but oh so true! I am so grateful for all of the time and cherished moments we’ve shared together. Memories have been made, time has flown by, and though I don’t want to believe it, here we are… my daughter’s first day of Kindergarten. How can my first-born and little bestie, that I have spent every waking minute with since the day I found out we were growing our family, be starting school? I am flooded with emotions. Everything from excitement to sadness to loneliness to nervousness… but most of all, I am overwhelmed with a sense of pride in who she is and who she’s becoming. If I could pass on a few important things, these would be what I would want you to take with you as you enter your Kindergarten class.

Dear Paisley – On your first day of Kindergarten, my wish for you is…

We took our girls out to the woods of Prescott, Arizona for their first camping weekend as a family of four. To give you a little perspective, our girls are 4.5 and 2.5 years old and this was our first time all sleeping together in one small space… without a pack n’ play! My husband was raised camping and in the outdoors so he had been dreaming of the day that our girls would be old enough to enjoy a trip like this, and this was our first attempt. To say it went well is an understatement… much to my surprise it went great! But don’t get me wrong, with any trip you come across a few hiccups here and there. But, it was so much fun to take the girls off the grid, push everyday rules to the side and just let them enjoy being kids for the trip… and I know that we made memories as a family they will not forget.

If you are like me, and questioning whether or not your family is ready for a camping trip, I say go for it! You will never know until you try. And to help you out, here are a few of my ‘camping with kids’ recommendations. I hope these ideas help make your trip extra enjoyable for all – we all want happy campers!

When you hear the name Tim Tebow do you think of a two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner, and first round NFL draft pick? Or do you think of a hard working man who is living his life daily for the Lord with a charismatic and outspoken faith?

Tim Tebow. Some know him as a Florida Gator Heisman Trophy Winner and 2-time National Champion. Others recognize the name thanks to the 2011 “#tebowing” craze, where one takes a knee in a praying position and posts it online. Still others recognize him as an outspoken Christian with questionable athletic abilities, and more recently some recognize him as an aspiring baseball professional. Personally, I’ve always seen Tebow as an athlete who likes competing, but loves the Lord. Given his athletic talents, he has been given an incredible platform in the public eye and uses it to glorify God with every step and through every season of his life.

Motherhood isn’t easy! …So why go it alone?

Finding mom friends that are in the same stage of life (i.e.. running around after littles), is the best way to get through this crazy season of life. Having mama friends that you can talk to about all of your real life day-to-day moments is not only important, but it is vital to your mama sanity! For that reason I am so thankful to have met some amazing local AZ mama bloggers to do life with. Continue Reading

When I look back on these last two years with Payton, the one word that comes to mind is… FUN! Two years ago today my quirky, smiley, and independent baby girl joined our family, and made me a mom for the second time, and Praise God, life has never been the same!

I didn’t know what to expect when I found out we were having our second daughter. I naively thought that she would be just like her older sister. Boy was I wrong, Payton Reese is quite literally the complete opposite of her Big Sis! God has quite a sense of humor and I’m sure He has loved watching me grow and nurture my sweet little mini-me. And mini-me she is!… Payton reminds me so much of me as a child, and sometimes that can be scary, but it has given us an extra special bond from day one!